France - Oct 20

The Paris Opera ejected an audience member for concealing her face. In 2010, Parliament banned facial concealment in public places, becoming the first European country to restrict the Muslim custom. The “burqa bill,” which does not forbid the hijab, carries a 150 euro fine, but has not been fully enforced, in an effort to minimize tension. The ban has tapped into a culture war over the separation between mosque and state. The Collective Against Islamophobia, dubbed this “vigilante justice” that “shows the atmosphere of hate in contemporary France.” The government plans to circulate guidelines.